Internal strife and escalating tensions are reportedly tearing through the Tonse alliances, manifesting in distinct factions led by prominent political figures. Reports indicate a division, with one faction headed by Given Lubinda, another encompassing Sean Tembo and others, and a third group aligned with Peter Chanda.

The morning saw simultaneous meetings by two of these factions. Sean Tembo, leader of Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP), convened a meeting at his private residence. Among those invited and present were notable figures such as Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba, former President Edgar Lungu’s political advisor; Brian Mundubile, the Mporokoso lawmaker; Mutotwe Kafwaya, the Lunte counterpart; former PF Deputy Secretary-General Mumbi Phiri; former party Secretary-General Davies Mwila; and Zambia Must Prosper party leader Kelvin Bwalya Fube (KBF). Concurrently, Given Lubinda was leading a separate meeting with other leaders at the Patriotic Front (PF) Secretariat.

Upon learning of these parallel gatherings, Peter Chanda, who leads the New Congress Party, mobilized cadres. These cadres reportedly first went to the PF Secretariat to disrupt Lubinda's meeting, and subsequently proceeded to Sean Tembo’s residence. The meeting at Tembo’s house was violently disrupted, prompting a quick phone call from Tembo, who reportedly had to hide under his bed. Police were swiftly dispatched to the scene in a CDF police van, effectively saving the situation.

Following the disruption, PF Secretary-General Raphael Nakacinda addressed journalists at the Magistrate Court, strongly urging party members to set aside personal interests and egos. He emphasized the critical need to prioritize the welfare of Zambians and work as a united front to remove the current government. Nakacinda warned against sabotaging the alliance, stating, “This is not the time to sabotage the alliance but to work as a united front to defeat and remove the current government from power.” He further stressed that the PF, as the main opposition, should not be derailed by individuals desperate for power, whether from within or outside the party.

Meanwhile, Peter Chanda publicly accused Sean Tembo and Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba of pursuing a personal agenda detrimental to the alliance. Chanda voiced strong opposition to Tembo's decision to host the briefing at his private residence instead of a neutral venue. He firmly stated that the alliance was a legacy of the late President Lungu and cautioned against any attempts to assume leadership “through the back door.”

The disrupted meeting at Sean Tembo’s residence had a comprehensive agenda aimed at resolving key issues affecting the opposition alliance. Discussions were planned to include the admission of new members into the Council of Leaders (as approved by the late president), strategies for unity and reconciliation within the alliance, its official position on Lungu’s death and ongoing court battles, and establishing clear procedures for convening council meetings in the absence of a substantive chairperson. Other critical agenda items involved reviewing alliance special purpose vehicles, adopting a roadmap for a general congress to elect a Tonse Alliance chairperson and their 2026 presidential candidate, and deliberating on the creation of a new Secretary-General or National Coordinator role.